The First Time
by Shadows in the Clouds
Summary: Avengers Endgame spoilers inside. Please read the author's notes! A little look into all the firsts in Pepper and Tony's lives.


I'm salty over Endgame so I've fixed it and given us all some much-needed happiness. There will be spoilers but I've changed the ending because fuck everything. (don't get me wrong. I loved the movie, But Tony deserved to stay with his family)

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The first time Virginia Potts met Tony Stark; she was immediately struck by how forgetful the young man was. He seemed almost blasé about everything. He seemed lost and confused… and drunk. So very very drunk. The fact that he was coherent enough to actually execute the job interview they were doing was a miracle on its own.

She got the job. She always knew she was going to get it. She was more than qualified and honestly, Stark seemed impressed with her. What she didn't expect was to be given the nickname of Pepper not even a week later. And the thing is, when Tony Stark gives you a nickname, it sticks. She was forever known as Pepper just as James became Rhodey and Harold became Happy.

She knew for a fact that this was going to be an interesting job, and she was in for the long haul.

IM

The first time Pepper Potts had to escort one of Tony "dates" out of the house, she honestly felt a little angry. Not at Tony believe it or not. He'd been drunk most of the night in an attempt to put up with all the rich old men who wanted to compare him to his asshole father. No, Pepper was angry at the woman Tony brought home.

Now, normally she was all about woman solidarity and empowerment, but the woman Tony brought home had been sober the whole night. She pretty much took advantage of a person who couldn't really consent. What made it worse was that she apparently knew Tony from back at MIT. Apparently, they had dated for a while. And that just made everything more uncomfortable.

After she left Tony ended up sulking in his lab with his bots for comfort while he talked to Rhodey on the phone. Pepper didn't hear most of the conversation, but she did manage to catch the name of the woman from the gala.

Sunset Bain was going to pay for all the wrong she had done.

IM

The first time Pepper thought that she'd lost Tony was filled with tears. She would never have said it out loud but hearing from Rhodey that Tony was missing in the desert and possibly injured, it just broke her in two. She'd know Tony for years at that point and the thought of not having him in her life, whether that be to annoy her or make her laugh, it just wasn't something she thought possible.

She cried again when Rhodey called and said they had found him. He was injured but alive and Pepper was thankful. Sure, when Tony was back on US soil they had joked about hating job hunting, but truth be told, they really had missed each other.

IM

The first time Pepper saw the arc reactor she flipped out. She had no idea that it went so deep into his chest! Tony must have been in so much pain. It was a miracle he was even functioning. She hated having to stick her hand in his chest. There was goo and puss and it just wasn't pleasant. It really didn't help that Tony was making jokes and flirting. When she was done she left in a huff. She hated that entire experience.

But it stuck with her. Tony Stark wasn't the man everyone thought he was. He was different from the drunken playboy who just didn't give a shit about anything. When Tony cared about stuff he put all his focus and passion into it. It was just that nobody bothered to notice. Pepper did. Same with Rhodey and Happy, but that was about it. And this thing with the arc reactor and the new secret project he was working on, it just showed that Tony did in fact care just a little too much.

So, she decided to give him a gift. Because we all know that Tony Stark has a Heart.

IM

The first time Pepper killed someone was to save people. That sounds way nobler then what really happened, but she did save people with her actions. Who knows what Obadiah Stane could have done if he continued to sell weapons and build murder suits. Plus, in pepper's mind, Tony's suit looked 1000X better than the hunk of junk Stane made.

She was scared that night. After the initial overload of the giant arc reactor, she thought that she had killed Tony in the blast. She didn't, but he did have a nasty concussion, a busted up nose, and something new to fuel his nightmares. She was really happy that didn't kill him like they thought would happen in the blast.

Although, a few days later when he publicly announced that he was Iron Man she began to rethink that decision.

IM

The first time Pepper Potts actually put her master's in business to work was when Tony Stark appointed her CEO of Stark Industries. Logically, she knew that something was very wrong with Tony. Sure, he was a spontaneous kind of person. But appointing her CEO would have taken thought and research.

She was still pissed at him for announcing it just at random. But after she learned that he had been dying of palladium poisoning, she forgave him just a little bit. He must have been scared and panicked at the thought of dying. And he would have been alone too as he had almost succeeded in pushing all the people who cared about him away.

She hated how destructive Tony became. She felt horrible that she'd missed all the signs that something was wrong. She knew that Tony had suffered from depression most of his life and that sometimes he would get suicidal. Rhodey had told her as much. But she still felt bad that she had been too busy trying to run SI to notice everything going on.

IM

The first time Pepper really, truly realized that she was in love with Tony Stark, there where evil robots trying to take over the Stark Expo. Sure, Pepper had harboured feelings that were a little bit more than friendship towards Tony for a while. But that was her Erika! Moment.

That was also the night they shared their first kiss. In all honesty, it wasn't the best kiss in the universe. They were both sweaty and Tony was covered in blood and dirt. It didn't help that Rhodey had interrupted and told them to "get a roof", but it was still a good kiss.

IM

The first time Pepper had a panic attack of her own was right after the Battle of New York. The whole day was just horrible. When Agent Phil Coulson showed up and said it was time to enact the Avengers Initiative she just knew that something horrible was going to happen. And she could do was watch in horror as the events unfolded.

He tried to phone her. The last thing he had wanted to hear was her voice. It made pepper feel horrible for not answering her phone.

She cried that night when she was reunited with Tony. She wasn't ashamed. All she cared about was that Tony was safe and with her. She also met the other Avengers that night. Everyone sort of just crashed at the tower, too exhausted to really care.

IM

The first time Pepper saw Tony have an anxiety attack was three months after the Battle of New York. He wasn't sleeping properly. He wasn't eating properly. He was a piping hot mess. Sometimes she would just get so mad at him over everything. She wanted her Tony back. But really, this was her Tony now and she had to try her best to be there for him. Although, it took him almost dying AGAIN to learn that lesson.

IM

The first time Pepper truly understood what was going on in Tony's head when he became Iron man, she was locked in battle with Aldrich Killian while she blasted him to dust with Extremis and one of Tony's gauntlets. She understood why he had a hard time putting down the suits.

So, she stayed by his side while they moved what they could salvage of their life to New York. She stayed by his side as he used Extremis to help remove his arc reactor. She stayed and she loved him.

But sometimes even love wasn't quite enough.

IM

The first and only time Pepper and Tony took a break from each other was just before the Ultron incident. She was busy doing travelling for SI and Tony was going work with the Avengers to take down the rest of HYDRA. There just wasn't time.

She still wished she could have been there more for Tony. She hated what losing JARVIS did to Tony.

She got to meet Vision. She liked Vision. But he wasn't JARVIS. It was hard to see all the pain and hurt in Tony's eyes when anyone talked about what had happened. She eventually got the whole story out of Tony. He told her about the Vision that Wanda had planted his mind. How she triggered his PTSD. How the Mind Stone brought Ultron to life without Tony and Bruce's knowledge. How everyone blamed Tony and only Tony for what happened. It just broke her heart.

But they still continued to have a break from each other. Tony said he needed space to come to terms with what had happened. Pepper gave him the space he needed, but she didn't dare stray too far. Even if Tony wouldn't say it out loud, Pepper knew that he craved closeness and affection. So, she stayed close.

IM

The first time Pepper truly hated the Avengers was after what the media had dubbed the "Civil War". She hated how they split sides over what should have been a non-issue. She hated how they all fought each other. She hated how Steve Rogers had lied. And she hated seeing Tony after he managed to get home from Siberia.

Vision had gotten a call and a location from FRIDAY to rescue him. He looked like he was in bad shape, but Tony had insisted on putting on some make-up and a brave face to make sure that young Peter Parker got home safe.

After that Pepper had forced him to go to the hospital. She didn't dare leave him alone after that. Pepper made her feelings about the others quite clear as she helped Tony and Rhodey recover from the fights. She also helped Tony dig up as much dirt as possible on Ross to get him off the accords council. What Ross had done was illegal and against the accords. They definitely had their work cut out for them.

IM

The first time Pepper blushed on live television was the same day Tony proposed. Even though she knew it was coming because Happy was the one to toss Tony the ring, she still blushed. She said yes of course. She would have been a fool to say no. She loved Tony with all her heart. She couldn't wait to marry him.

The ring itself was perfect. It wasn't anything ostentatious. It was a simple gold band with a few blue diamonds. They were the same colour as the arc reactor. The same colour as Tony's heart. Now, it wasn't the proposal she had been dreaming of since she was a little girl, but it was perfect for the two of them.

That night Tony made her dinner and they curled up together. They didn't need anything fancy for an engagement. The simplicity of the night was perfect for the two of them. They spent the night talking. Just talking. It was 100% worth it to wake up the next day all cuddled up close to the man who she could now call her fiancé.

IM

The first time Tony brought up wanting kids, the world was ending. They had been jogging together in the park when Tony brought it up. Apparently, he'd had a dream and he was convinced it was real. The gleam of hope in his eyes didn't help matters much either.

She knew exactly where this was coming from. Tony had been spending hours and hours mentoring Peter. Pepper couldn't deny that those two were cut from the same cloth. The amount of science talk that went on between them was enough to make Pepper's head spin.

When she told him no he deflated a bit. He had this little kicked puppy look on his face. If it weren't so sad to look at the implications of Tony looking like that would have been funny. All she could do was lean up and give him a kiss. She loved Tony so much and she knew he would be a great dad someday once their lives had settled down a little.

And then a wizard showed up and told them the universe was ending.

IM

The first time Pepper had almost given up hope was when Tony had gotten himself lost in space. Half the universe had turned to dust and pepper had no clue if Tony was even alive. She ended up joining the rest of the Avengers at the compound. If Tony was alive out there they would have the best luck of finding him.

It took them a month. A wonderful woman named Carol Danvers was able to find Tony and his new friend Nebula and bring them home. Pepper had never been so thankful in her life. She had her Tony back. That was enough for her.

He was dehydrated, malnourished, oxygen-starved, and fighting off the last stages of an infected stab wound. Everything about it broke Pepper's heart. What made it worse was that Tony was so high strung and upset that he barely let Bruce help him into a wheelchair and hook him up to some much-needed fluids.

He was still too high strung and upset even after everyone tried to comfort him.

It hurt Pepper to hear about what had happened on Titan. She cried when Tony told them about how Dr. Strange traded the stone for his life and how young Peter Parker had turned to dust in his arms. And the second that Pepper left the room to go grab Tony a blanket to stop his shivering, the yelling started. After Tony had finished yelling at the others he all but collapsed on the floor in sheer exhaustion. Bruce had to sedate him and pepper refused to leave his side. She would never leave him again.

The first time Pepper felt like a princess was her wedding day. It wasn't really anything for the history books, but it was special in its own way.

Tony and Pepper got married a few months after he had returned home from his exile in space. The wedding wasn't extravagant. It was just Tony, Pepper, May Parker, and what remained of the Avengers. Happy had gotten ordained and performed the ceremony. Pepper had worn the dress that she picked out months ago for their wedding. She had gotten it only a few weeks after they got engaged and it still fit like a glove. It was a light ivory A-line with a short train and a simple beaded bodice.

They had their wedding by the lake at the new house Tony was building them. Despite all the pain and destruction that had happened, they all still found a chance to smile that day. Everyone gave the happy couple their congratulations but they mostly fell on deaf ears. Tony and Pepper were too absorbed in each other as they danced the night away, safe in each other's arms.

And not too long after Pepper was able to give Tony some of the best news of his life.

IM

The first time Pepper held her little baby girl, she really understood what love was. Sure, she loved Tony, but this little baby in her arms was her world. Although, Pepper could hardly hold back a little chuckle when Tony held Morgan H Stark in his arms for the first time bawled like a baby.

"She's so perfect Pep! She's just so perfect! How is it even possible that she's so perfect?" sobbed Tony as he handed Morgan back to Pepper and curled up next to her.

"Well, she is part me." Joked Pepper, "I'll give you 12% of the credit. Although, an argument could be made for 15. She totally has your nose."

And at that moment, Pepper knew she had found her happy ending.

IM

The first time Pepper felt like life could actually settle down a bit was five years after the decimation. She loved watching Tony run around and play with Morgan. Whenever she wasn't busy doing work for Stark Industries and helping with government relief, she was watching her little family play by the lake. She constantly wished that their little happy bubble could last forever.

If only Steve and the others hadn't come knocking and filling Tony's head with thoughts of time travel.

But at least one good thing had happened that day. Morgan told Tony that she "Loves him 3000". 3000 was all the love in the world. Pepper was happy that Morgan lover her father. Tony had been trying so hard to avoid becoming like Howard. And he was succeeding.

IM

The first time Pepper felt time stop what when Tony used the Infinity Stones.

The battle before that had been hard and long. Wave after wave of enemies had everyone working double-time just to stay upright. On the upside, Tony got to be reunited with Peter. But the battle was far from over. Everyone was working to keep the stones away from Thanos, who was pulling out all the stops in his attack. And it almost worked. Thanos ended up getting the stones. But Tony, ever one to pull off a good sleight of hand, was able to get them back.

And then the world went white.

As Thanos and his lackeys turned to dust Pepper, Rhodey and Peter rushed to Tony's side as he struggled to stay alive. His whole arm and a part of his face was burnt and the arc reactor was blinking on and off. Everyone was sobbing and worrying. Thankfully FRIDAY told them that if they got Tony to a hospital in the next couple of minutes that he had a chance. It was a small chance, but they took it.

Rhodey and Pepper flew Tony to Wakanda with the help of Wong and T'Challa and watched in fear as Tony was wheeled away to emergency surgery. It took almost 12 hours. 12 hours of agony as different Avengers came in and out to receive medical care. For the most part, everyone was alright. There were broken bones and a few cases of internal bleeding, but everyone was accounted for.

And when the Wakandian doctor came out and told them that Tony was stable and his chances were improving everyone was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Tony would make it and the world would live on.

IM

The first time Pepper actually took the opportunity to reflect on everything that had happened in her life, she was sitting in the front stoop watching Tony play fairy princesses by the lake. Life had calmed down and they were all there and alive. Life was perfect.

Peter and May would come down and visit every weekend. Happy would babysit on date night. The remaining Avengers would come by and visit as well. Tony and Bucky had reconciled their differences and every so often Shuri would come by to annoy him and hang out with Peter. One thing Pepper could tell was that Tony missed Steve. It was weird not having him around, but both were glad that Steve got to live the quiet life with Peggy in the end.

But, looking back now on her life, Pepper could honestly say that everything had worked out for the best in the end. She had the best husband, the best daughter, and the best friends. She could honestly say she was happy.

She was happy that she had her Iron Man.

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I hope you guys liked this. I needed to write a happy ending for Tony and Pepper after watching Endgame. Comments are appreciated. I'll see everyone soon. -Shadows


End file.
